The insulation above the metal roof is drying out and needs replaced. The plywood floor needs a coating material that won't make the surface impossible to clean. The repair cabinet needs restocking, but you're not sure which items should be stocked at all times and in what quantities. Sound familiar? These maintenance-related quandaries come with the territory of being a self-storage operator, and now a maintence expert is a few key strokes and mouse clicks at the industry's larget online forum, Self-Storage Talk.

In the forum's Day-to-Day Management section, maintenance expert and President of Accent Building Restoration Andy Fawcett (member name acfawcett) has started a thread called "Ask the Maintenance Expert." Fawcett is lending ABR's collective 17 years of maintenance experience to members of the community who have maintenance issues they just can't seem to solve on their own. Already, forum members are jumping in asking questions, and Fawcett is replying promptly.

For example, to a question about sealing insulation with duct tapewhich not ideal aesteticallyFawcett suggests an alternative to the common adhesive. He writes, "The best option for doing repairs if the actual insulation is intact and not water saturated is to re-skin it with new white vinyl sheeting that matches the original. The material is referred to as a polypropylene polyester scrim." He then describes where polypropylene polyester is available.

Have another question, or maybe an answer that differs from Fawcett's? As with all SST threads, "Ask the Maintenance Expert" is a free-flowing conversation, and your additions are welcome and encouraged. The best questions and answers may be used in an upcoming column in Inside Self-Storage magazine. To post questions or responses, you must be a registered member. If you're not already registered, you can do so at www.selfstoragetalk.com/register.php. It's easy and takes only a few minutes.